Wild Horses and Second Chances
by Sunshine68
Summary: Ned Tash and Jude Law are career criminals in Cold Around the Heart.  Follow a journey of self-exploration & discovery as Ned & a new friend come together, no thanks to Jude.  Rated MA  over 18  for mature adult situations, language, violence
1. Chapter 1

_**Wild Horses and Second Chances**_

_**A follow up fanfic to the movie, 'Cold Around The Heart'**_

_**By Sunshin68 and Flora Belle Jardinier**_

1. **Where the Story Ended**

_You thought the story of Ned and Jude ended with them dyin' in a big blaze of glory? Well, it didn't 'cause I lied about that. The story sounded better that way – much more romantic like Romeo and Juliet. I'm Bec Rosenthal and I'll tell ya what really happened – as I said before, some of it I was there for and some I was told about later._

_Ned lay with a knife wound since the bitch stuck him and twisted the blade just to make sure she done the job good. When she started after me, Ned shot her. They both propped themselves against a gas pump - Jude puttin' pressure on the bullet wound and Ned holdin' his stomach. So much for love. So much for trust. Fucked again I thought. Guy can't catch a break when it comes to this bitch. And as angry as he was at her, Ned Tash couldn't let go of her._

"_The bitch of it all is that I love you," he said to her. His problem – he just didn't freaking trust her._

"_It ends here," Ned stated pulling a cigarette from her pack._

"_Yeah, bucko, it does. Right here, right now," Jude agreed._

_Ned looked into her eyes and smiled. "You fucking stabbed me," he said with a laugh._

"_Butthead, you shot me," she retorted pulling her hand away from the gaping wound._

_A long moment passed and I could tell by the looks in their eyes that they knew it had to end._

"_I can't do this any more," he added. "No more running. No more chasing."_

_Jude took the cigarette as Ned struck the flame on the lighter and stared at it. They both knew they were dyin'._

"_Blaze of glory?" Jude asked agreein' with Ned's plan to end it all – a small town story of crime and murder._

"_I can't live without you." I could see the love in his eyes. He hoped she'd be a little more compassionate knowin' they weren't long for this Earth. "But, I'll never f'n trust you."_

_Grasping him around his neck, she buried her face into his long red hair bawlin' her eyes out. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" Yeah, right, I say. Just another freakin' lie._

_After she backed away, they both looked into the flame again. Gas was leaking all around them when Ned ordered me to leave. Sure, I took his Lincoln Continental and sped outta there. I knew the explosion would be seen for miles around and both of them would be burned to a crisp. But they'd be together. Ned couldn't live without his girl and Jude needed her man._

"_Just you and me," he added ready to end it all._

_I didn't see it for myself, but I heard their lives were spared because one of Ned's stray bullets ended up hitting a water pump nearby and it leaked enough water to drown the gas. He was tired of runnin' – tired of feelin' betrayed – tired of Jude screwin' him over. And when hope of the abandoned station goin' up in the world's biggest fireball was stopped, there was nothing left but to wait to bleed out and die_.

_I couldn't let him die. Yeah, maybe Uncle Mike was right. I had it a little bit for Ned. He'd been the first guy to actually be nice to me. Hell, man, he killed his friend to protect me. That's more than anyone ever did for me. I'll never forget that wild look in Ned's eyes when he pulled Mike offa me. He took a beatin' for me but didn't give up. That's when I heard the shot and learned to what extent Ned would go to protect someone_.

"_Mike, you left me no choice," he said to the old man and I knew he regretted it a lot. After all, he wasn't so cold-hearted as I thought. _

_He tried to tell me he'd kill me if he was left with no choice, but I didn't believe him. He had plenty of chances to rape me or kill me or leave me by the roadside, but that big heart never failed to make him think otherwise. I wouldn't listen to him when he tried to leave me off with money demanding I find a better place. I knew he cared enough not to want to have me get hurt. But, I couldn't leave him. He was so determined to find Jude – convinced he needed to get back at her for Jude did him wrong so many times that he was ready to kill her – and he convinced himself that was the way their story would end. _

_Yet, I had faith he'd find his rightful way. Sure, I'd seen him do some bad stuff and he told me about other bad stuff he did. Yet, I felt no matter what, no matter how many times he tried to be cold, his heart had enough warmth to make me believe he deserved better. Bein' cold was his way to survive, but I knew he yearned for somethin' more – somethin' better._

_And because of that, I betrayed Ned. I didn't listen to him. Sure, I would have been safely far away but I kept thinkin' of what he did for me and I couldn't leave him for dead. I was happy to find a cop along the roadside and it didn't take much to get him to follow me back to the abandoned gas station where Jude and Ned were dyin'. _

_They were dyin' in the heat and the blood they was losin'. I couldn't live with that. Yeah, Jude needed to die. She freakin' tried to kill Ned. She didn't love him at all – usin' bitch! All she cared 'bout were the diamonds. But Ned – sweet Ned – I couldn't let him die_

_It wasn't his fault he had a beautiful heart he liked to ignore. He'd suffered and been used enough. I knew deep down inside he wanted to live a clean life. Maybe if he lived, he'd find it. I remember him tellin' me how much he wanted to go to Canada – how beautiful it was and how it offered plenty of open space and freedom and good health care._

_It sounded perfect as it would be far away from my freakin' abusive father. That's why I ended up in Ned's company to begin with. In fact, I ended up goin' there just because Ned made it sound so wonderful, but that part is for later._

_Now, that bitch, Jude – she did it again. She betrayed their love and refused to die with him. Bitch was only out for herself no matter how many times she would say otherwise. If she was going to die, she would die on the run and not in the company of a cop. When we got there, Jude was high-tailin' it outta there escaping the one cop I had with me. _

_Ned was still on the ground. There was so much blood comin' outta that knife wound I thought I would puke. He was unconscious and alone. I wanted him to live because he deserved a second chance. If he lived, I had no idea how he'd react when he found out Jude ran off and left him behind – again! Maybe Uncle Mike was right – Ned was born stupid when it came to women. _ _Ned would never accept it, but then again, the truth hurts sometimes._

_I was happy I went back with the cop. Ned was saved. Sad part is that he went on trial for the diamond heist murders. He got ten years in County Lockup because he lucked out. He should have had life for what they said he did. The only thing they had on him were a few of the diamonds they found at the gas station. No one knew I had the rest – and I never told._

_The lighter sentence came down with a manslaughter charge because there was no proof Ned actually killed those people. We both knew Jude did it, but there was no proof of her bein' there. He lived every day knowing what he did and didn't do, and no matter how hard he tried to convince his court-appointed lawyer that it was Jude, the bitch was nowhere to be found. Ned grew even angrier with the woman but happy the jury saw things his way._

_I could just hear him sayin', _"_Bitch! She did it to me again!"_

_I know the hate festered deep inside Ned's heart and I wouldn't doubt he'd actually kill her if he ever saw her again 'cause he was that pissed off. And then again knowin' him, I am sure he'd think twice once she got to his heart and his body thinkin' of all the good times they'd shared together. He told me how they had great sex, did lots of robberies together, and I know she was a really pretty woman. Ned loved her too much even though the bitch was no good for him. So, he could piss and moan all he wanted and be angrier than a bull on fire. He loved her too much and never failed to have a change of heart even when he felt he didn't have a choice to shoot her. _

_He told me in a letter that he copped to the plea the Court gave him and he got a reduced sentence if he gave up his accomplices. But Jude was smart. He knew that about her, that's why she was a dangerous and awesome partner. However, the bitch disappeared without a trace and, no matter what information Ned could give, he had no way to know where she'd go. _

_Ned got them ten years and I wrote him every week while I traveled. I'd send him polaroids as proof of the beauty I saw along the way. When I got to Calgary, I liked it best so I decided to stay there for a while. I kept hoping my letters and pictures made him smile, and he later wrote me tellin' me they did. _

_He was happy I got to have a second chance at life because I deserved it. I told him he deserved one too and I kept hoping that when he got outta jail he'd come to Canada and live that clean life he really wanted. He was right – there was lots of open space, not too many people, and it was beautiful. It was perfect for me and I knew it would be perfect for him._

_I was happy each time I got a letter from him after I settled into an apartment with an address. He started signing the letters 'your friend, Ned' and that always made me smile. Ned never talked about having friends – at least not the real kind – friends a person trusted. I like to think I was Ned's first friend in a long time. I tried to keep him hopin' and dreamin' and focused on seekin' that second chance. I was glad he did too as he said in many of his letters. _

_I was happy to hear Ned got out in three for good behavior. I know he worked his ass off for it, steerin' clear of trouble as best he could. He benefited from the fact that the jails in Arizona were pretty crowded, so the Court paroled him quickly._ _He told me he wanted to stay in Arizona for awhile, and he worked on stayin' clean by taking up little jobs here and there._

_The hardest part was thinkin' that Jude was out there someplace. I tried to convince him that he was better off without her, to just forget about her and get on with his life, just as I was better off without my father around. He told me he still wanted to kill her, and knowin' Ned, he'd find a way if it meant him not getting' caught. Well, he'd threatened to do it many times before and only at the end did he think he actually succeeded._

_But you already know that's not how it worked out. The next time… the next time she was history. It was the one crime he didn't care if he went down for. He loved her so much that maybe in his own way it was the only way to save his soul – by ridding the world of the likes of her. _

_There wasn't anywhere he could go without people noticing him as part of the Ned and Jude robbery team. He now had a reputation as a felon – a murder rap was not goin' to be easy to shake. But, he was determined to cope with the all the shit in the newspapers_, _reporters followin' him for a story, and even just the bullshit of not bein' trusted by the townsfolk. He needed to prove somethin' to himself and I respected that._ _He wanted his second chance and come hell or high water, he was gonna find it._

_It was hard though – every soul in town kept watch on him because they all figured he wasn't to be trusted. Hardened criminals didn't change their ways as easily as Ned did. The funny thing is that Ned wasn't so bad. His reputation was too big now to just put aside. But, I know Ned – I believed him when he said he was under scrutiny – havin' everyone starin' at him no matter who he tried to be friends with, where he ate lunch, or where he tried to find work._

_It was hard for him to get a start, but he kept going in spite of everything. _ _Ned got his first big break when this mechanic dude hired him on. Call it lucky because Don Davis had lots of compassion for guys like Ned. He too wanted to see Ned get his second chance, and all was goin' well. That is until he got the damned phone call from the middle of frickin' Maine. _


	2. Chapter 2

**2. Criminal Lovers Reunited**

"Jude? Where are you?" he asked calmly restraining a deep desire to jump through the phone line and strangle the bitch.

"I'm in Penobscot, Maine, Ned. It's colder than crap and I miss you." Her voice seemed sincere and full of longing for him and having her use her hook words of "I miss you" bit him hard.

He held back a disgusted snort because, like a Timex, his body immediately responded to the longing in the woman's voice. He did cuss as he broke out in a full sweat and the memories of their long nights of awesome sex taunted him. Rivulets of salty water streamed down from his hair line. It was a mix of love and hate and he really couldn't decide which emotion was riding him harder.

"You left me there dying," he continued doing his best to maintain his level-headedness and not whine because that wasn't the impression he wanted her to have of him. He strove for control over his rampaging emotions because he was so livid that he could feel he was losing control. "I thought you loved me and that we were going to die together."

"Ned, please. The cops were coming and I thought you were already gone. You wouldn't have wanted me to die in custody, would you?" she pleaded.

Oh, how he heard this before. When asked a similar question, Ned couldn't answer her partly because he knew he'd never abandon her and he had hoped she'd have known that of him. But true to form, Jude Law didn't care because she was so cold to ever understand his feelings.

"Bullshit, Jude. Bullshit. I thought we agreed to end it. Remember – it was you, me and a blaze of glory. Instead, you f'ng ran again. You f'ng left me there to die alone!"

"Please! Please, Ned. There's no time to argue over this. I need to see you now. Won't you come here?"

The request hooked him immediately. She was simply untrustworthy, but Ned loved her so much that hearing her ask him with desperation in her voice left him with only one choice. He had to go.

"Please, Ned. Call me when you cross the border into Maine. I'll meet you at the rest stop right after the first exit ramp," she said.

Before long, Ned was in his car and heading at breakneck speed towards that damned city in Maine, all because someone he loved but couldn't trust pulled a few ancient strings she knew would send him running. The thought of reuniting with his girl had his head in a tailspin.

On the one hand, he missed her so much it was an ache in his loins and in his gut; on the other, he was just furious enough with her that this time he would kill her if he got the chance. His bare hands were all he'd need to do the job, although his Colt 45 was safely tucked away in a lockbox in the trunk just in case things got dicey.

After three years in the clink it was time for answers. She owed him that. Then, he reconsidered his initial thoughts.

In spite of her constant betrayals, the hope stubbornly clung that maybe this time he could convince her to take him up on his desire to play it straight. Maybe now would be the time when he could coax her into following through on his dream of a little farm some place far away on the outskirts of some small town where they could live as they saw fit, maybe raise a couple of rug rats, and stay out of trouble.

She seemed sincere and terribly scared, so the idea might finally take hold of her. Then again, she always was sincere, usually just long enough to get what she wanted. It was afterwards she screwed him over – every God damned time. It would have been easier to go to her if he didn't feel like such a sucker.

The drive was a long one and he nearly turned back several times as he remembered how badly she treated him. She'd get him all hot and bothered, then back off to keep him revved while she seduced him into another of her hopeless get rich quick schemes. It was bad enough they worked so well together, outside of the fact that she was so crazy with a gun not thinking about the ramifications of her actions at times.

It was those self-centered choices that made her ditch him as baggage when things went south. He tried like hell to forgive her for that but couldn't because she'd done it twice now. "Why can't I learn this lesson and be done with the bitch," he fretted, kicking himself for his idiocy.

By the time he reached the border between New Hampshire and Maine, he was so steamed he wanted to see her just to belt her before he split. Where he'd go he had a pretty good idea, but he knew he wouldn't stick with her because she couldn't be trusted, and what was love without trust?

She waved him over to the curb and tried to wrest the wheel from him, but he wasn't having it. He gave her his "I still remember when," look and that unsettled her, but only for a little while. Then it was back to the same old, same old haranguing him until he wanted to smack her. He let his gentleman win and screamed instead,

"You freakin' bitch! You betrayed me before. Why should I f'ng trust you now?"

"Cuz you want to, stupid," she spat, uncaring of the warning signs flashing in his eyes. Ned could take many insults except being called stupid. "You've always been a sucker and you'll always be a sucker. If you feel that way, then why you are here at all?" she hurled at him, eager to get her claws into him again.

"You try to leave, but can't; and you know why? You still f'ng love me," she gloated, goading him on to get him ready for the next steps in her scheme.

She conveniently forgot that Ned had seen these moves a dozen and more times before today; that he'd served her time in prison; and that he had even less reason to stay now than he had the last time she screwed him over. He almost smirked in derision when she suddenly changed her tune and poured on the charm because he expected this of her. It was typical Jude crap to get him riled about her bitchiness and then turn him on himself in search of sex. Well if she thought it would work this time, she was badly mistaken.

He almost laughed when she sashayed up to him and snaked her body up his frame, smirking in womanly confidence when she felt him rise to the occasion, because the move had never failed to grab his attention and calm the raging beast within him. At least it had in the past. A little physical contact and his thoughts were on other things instead of that bug that was up his ass. If she thought it would work this time, she was in for quite a shock, because Ned would have none of it.

He roughly shoved her away from him calling her a stupid bitch, stalked into the head, and played a little pinochle in preference to going through that shit again. He knew as well as she did that if she got to his raging animal lust, she'd get to the rest of him. He knew something she didn't know, a little thing called self-control, something he hadn't had before his time in the can.

"You know it ended up working out for the best," she wheedled, conveniently forgetting that the man had taken a major beating after she betrayed him. "Why not let it slide and let's start over from here?" she asked hopefully.

She felt the fury in his gaze, saw the determination in his stance, and knew she was licked for the time being. Having no sense, she continued to press her point until the heat in Ned's eyes could incinerate concrete to ash. Only then did she back off and let it go because she sensed that she must tread with extreme caution or unleash the full power of that rage. She wanted to forget his three years in prison but couldn't because he wouldn't let it go.

She betrayed him in so many ways, not the least of which was letting him do her time, and he'd had three years inside to mull over that fact, so he was unbelievably pissed off. It was bad enough when she dumped him out of their getaway car after the jewelry heist leaving him eating dirt and asphalt until the cops picked him up. As far as he was concerned, there was nothing more to say. She let it go temporarily because she didn't wish to incite his flaming Irish temper and blow what little chance she had of him going along with her latest hair-brained scheme to make it rich.

Besides, there was nothing sexier than good plans for the perfect caper she had in mind and having sex with the redheaded man by her side. He was so freaking hot when he was riled up, and when he was angry he was crazy wild in bed, just as she preferred. Taking a chance, Jude slipped up to him and slid her hand inside his open shirt, walking her fingertips through the light silky matt of crimson chest hair and grazing his nipples with her nails.

She puzzled over the fact that his skin was still so baby soft, going temporarily insane when she imagined tasting its saltiness as she ran her tongue over him, all of him. As his shirt lifted with her hand's journey, she could see the black ink of that tat he got of her name arched delicately over the left side of his chest. She couldn't believe he still had it, and it made her smile because it meant she could still get to him. Jude knew there were ways to erase it and gained great comfort from the fact it was still there, because its presence proved that he'd never let her down.

He was a complete and total sap hopelessly devoted to her despite his current gruff attitude to kick her to the curb. She couldn't give a shit that he loved her, even when things were good. She had his name tattooed on her ass simply to humor him. It was Ned's idea and she rolled with it.

What the hell, she thought to herself in a drunken stupor. To him, it was a sign of his devotion to have her name inked over his heart. It was like a couple going steady exchanging friendship rings but in a less cute way. To Jude, having her name on his chest was like a road sign telling the world they were bound together.

Unfortunately for Ned, Jude felt no such attachment. Ned was just another in a long line of men she used to get what she wanted, and there undoubtedly were plenty after him. She left her tattoo in place while with him but immediately had it lasered off without a second thought after she settled into her new home.

To her mind, she belonged to nobody, least of all the dope Ned Tash. Her only need of him right now was laying him to solidify his agreement in her next caper. Sex was a powerful weapon over a guy like him, and his resisting her allure was a disturbing change she didn't expect to have happen.

She watched fascinated as he swelled and hardened under the denim he wore, growing ever more uncomfortable and shifting his weight from one leg to the other as her fingers rounded the J of the tat before drifting down to trace a circle around his nipple. This was the second time in as many hours that she'd done this, so she knew his need of sex was forcing him from his angry, self-righteous pedestal and winding him up for another hard core romp in the back seat of her latest ride, a black '68 Mustang with a soft top. His eyes smoldered with unbelievable passion, but he still resisted the urge to take her because he didn't want to go there.

She'd never known a man with this power, so it made her incredibly hot for Ned. Unlike him, however, cold-hearted Jude could care less about the consequences of her actions. She thought little of anything other than screwing him enough to get him on board with her next big money maker. As with her other schemes, she'd keep him horny enough and laid enough to keep him preoccupied with that aspect of their relationship while she made off with any proceeds and cut him out completely.

While she almost licked her chops at the thought of it, she had to admit that she missed him in that way. It didn't take much for him to turn her on because he was so freaking gorgeous. That red mane still blazed like wildfire when the breeze lifted it and the sun glinted off it, and he still wore it long for her to tangle her fingers in its softness, especially when she was on top of him and riding him hard. She knew that Ned Tash was one of the best she ever had in bed – ever!

Unfortunately for Jude, another tactical blunder was assuming that Ned still had no balls when it came time to keeping the threats he made. She thought that as in the past he would cave to pressure instead of following through with them. She would soon learn that this wasn't true anymore either, but Ned kept that very much to himself in his bid for revenge.

He gave a great performance when required, stomping around like a wild bad boy with every intention of hurting their mark, but he never failed to be a total sap for a pretty face. That was his biggest flaw; he had way too big a heart. Look at him now, for pity's sake, he was too nice to toss her over, even though it was in his best interests to do so.

She kept him dangling because he could always fulfill her bodily needs once she worked him into a frenzy. Right now, she needed him to grow a set of balls and take care of her needs and then take care of her desire to get on 'easy street'. She pushed to the back of her mind that he had never willingly gone along with her, that she had been the one to shove his nose in their lack of cash until he caved to her whining, because right now she needed his expertise in planning things so they'd stay ahead of the law once she revealed he was already too deeply in this to back out safely.

What she failed to realize is that he had a set; he was just extremely choosy when he displayed them, because he didn't usually need to. He wanted to be the simple, easy going guy he'd always been, but prison had taught him that sort didn't survive long. He wanted to find a decent girl and settle into a normal life with a couple of bambinos, but thought the possibility remote at best.

He had no desire to mess with that by doing another big caper; sure the money would be nice, but he learned in prison that he'd rather work for it because it meant more when he saw it. He also earned his fellow inmates' deepest respect because he defended his turf without a qualm, something Jude had yet to learn about him. He hadn't been that way three years ago as she hadn't watched him fight off the rougher men's advances that forced him to change to survive, so she didn't know he could now be as cruel as she was if the situation warranted it.

Much to her surprise, Ned wasn't buying into her crap this time. Once bitten, twice shy and he certainly was that. He slapped her hand away and ran his fingers through his long red hair in a desperate attempt to shake off the torch she lit within him. He'd have loved to nail her just once more for old time's sake, as the glaring look in his eyes denoted. However, he had more sense than to let the bitch wrap his balls around her little finger again, no matter how good he knew it would feel to make her scream the way he once had.

He admitted to himself alone that she was good for that and she owed him, but he knew he'd been a complete fool doing everything she wanted, because the last time he had, he paid dearly with a three year stint in an Arizona prison for manslaughter and had the scars to prove it. He'd done jail time before, but never on a manslaughter rap.

Ned knew he'd been blessed when he met his public defender, because the woman had a true gift with words. She'd twisted the state's seemingly solid case against him into little more than one based on circumstantial evidence and the hearsay of unreliable witnesses, one Jude Law being the chief case. She reminded the twelve jurors that there were three people in that jeweler's shop that day; that no one had found the gun used in the heist; and that lacking the gun, the state had no case for murder against her hapless client.

Ned did his bit, too, being the quiet, guilt-ridden man he truly was when he faced the families of the victims of the heist and apologized for taking the stones. He had nothing to lose by doing it and a great deal to gain, so the emotions everyone saw were sincere—as far as they went. He was sincerely sorry for being involved with Jude not realizing the woman would go nuts and shoot the three men; sorrier still they'd been caught; and sorriest of all that the bitch had lifted the gems as she made her escape.

He had no idea that he'd soon bitterly regret doing time, but he would. Sure, things went okay at first, with his fellow inmates leaving well enough alone; but, being the handsome brute he was it was inevitable that he would soon draw the lustful stares of his cellmates, because to them he was fresh meat and blue-eyed redheads were rare finds.

Ned proved that he was no killer because he chose to become a well-honed muscleman so he could successfully defend his person from their intentions with physical force, instead of by shanking them in the exercise yard. He had to do that because there were men who were twice his size and higher in the pecking order that wanted to pass the redhead around as their pretty boy.

They tried to make him the subject of their prurient desires to engage in man to man petting and stroking to keep the order in line. Ned was hard-hearted as is, but he hardened up even more not wishing to play that particular game and be labeled a fag in addition to being thought an easy mark. That set of circumstances forced him to fight back with a wild fury as a warning to the others to back the fuck off or face the consequences.

Even the prison guards marveled at his tenacity. Only a cold-hearted killer could behave as he did. His public defender was amazed this man survived at all and still wondered exactly why this man went wrong. Ned, as a result, earned a special nickname from his fellow inmates - Red Fury. The truly hardcore crooks all had nicknames, so this sign of brotherly affection was awarded to him because of the coppery hair that warned of an equally fiery temper.

He'd been battered and bruised and suffered a number of cracked ribs and contusions for his efforts, but he earned his place as one of the top dogs soon enough, because people didn't want to mess with him. Though he never showed it, the changes forced upon him badly frightened him, because they proved he was capable of anything if pushed into it. He strove to remain gentle, but buried this sweetness under a ton of acid to keep the others from learning of it so he'd survive his time inside.

Just before they released him, Ned began the inner journey of deciding what he really wanted from life and how best to achieve it so he wouldn't end up back behind bars. During one particular stay in the jail's only hospital bed, Ned was reading his latest letter from Bec and learned that she settled in a little town in Calgary, Canada. She'd found a small apartment and informed Ned that she was surviving on a few of the diamonds she pawned to supplement the money she earned waiting tables at a local restaurant while trying her hand taking pictures for local tourists.

The diamonds – a girl's best friends – he laughed to himself. He continued to think of how in one breath they were the doom of his relationship with Jude, almost cost him his life, and yet offered a second chance to a downtrodden victim of incest. What irony that was.

Here he was, a good man gone bad, with a woman who was born evil and heartless, and their crime allowed an innocent girl to find safety far away from her pains. Ned determined that life could be better if he could just find the right path to get himself there. Bec was well on the way, so why couldn't he follow suit?

On a sudden epiphany, Ned realized that he had the will and the courage to stay straight because he had used those same gifts to endure the endless monotony in prison. His recent insights leant him the inner strength he lacked the first time around, so Ned wasn't in the mood for anything Jude had in mind because it undoubtedly would land his ass back in the joint. This time he'd stay there, because he was carrying a felony rap that really belonged to the bitch trying to con him into one more big score.


	3. Chapter 3

**Some People Never Change**

He stood there wondering what had her in such a tizzy to want to even call him to begin with. Well, much to his dismay, he was about to find out. Ned stalked over to the roadside taking in the view, when she again emphatically called his name to gain his attention. He ignored her until finally she had enough.

If he only listened to his gut instinct, he would have realized that Jude had done a job without his help. This was cause for alarm and he'd better beat a hasty pronto, because she'd likely blown it too. Stupid bimbo couldn't plan or pull a heist to save her life, but she was damned good at spending their hard-won proceeds, he thought angrily.

She eyed him haughtily, as though she really didn't need him at all, which got his dander up in a big way; since her call had hurried his ass to see her. She had waited long enough, popped the trunk, walked over grabbing his arm hauling his ass over to the car and demanded he see what waited inside its confines.

Jude whipped him around and jabbed him in the gut to get his attention, proving again that she only saw him as a pawn. Ned didn't want to look, but had to so he could assess the situation and gave a dismayed gasp when he realized what the bitch had done. Hunkered down uncomfortably atop the spare lay a woman who was probably in her late 30s or early 40s. She was tightly bound to the point that the ropes were cutting into her tender skin and she tried not to heave because her gag reeked of gasoline fumes.

Their hostage thought him insane when Ned spun around, planted his hands firmly on Jude's hips, and let fly with language even she hadn't heard. He resisted the urge to shake the crap out of her, because they were in enough hot water, but man was it hard not to do that.

"No way! No f'ng way! You f'ng crazy bitch! Are you out of your freakin' head?"

Jude jutted out her hip and pouted, furious with him for bellowing at her in front of their captive.

"God damn it, Ned. If you'd only listen to what I have in mind. This IS the best one yet and will set us both up for permanent retirement."

"NO! NO! NOOOOO!" he replied angrily, expressing his displeasure with signs that Jude unwisely ignored. "I want nothing to do with any more of your f'ng hair-brained schemes – especially this one. You did the stupidest thing taking this woman, because we'll get caught, guaranteed."

He paused for a long moment and added for emphasis, "There's no f'ng way I'm going for that again," he said hardly. "I served your time in there and paid in more ways than I care to count. I WILL NOT go down for the count because you didn't wait for me to plan something better than this."

"You don't even know what I have in mind," she replied with a wild-eyed giggle. "Think about it, Ned. You got a rap sheet with serious charges. You won't find more than minimum wagers, bucko," she reminded him. "How will you live on that?"

She was right. He'd tried so hard wanting to play it straight. This instant kick into reality with her harsh words made him think twice.

They were doing well until the diamond heist. They always had money enough to afford them a reasonable life together. Unfortunately fate put him with a bitch with an insatiable need of the high life and it had cost him dearly. He had resisted her nagging at first, but eventually caved to shut her up, and that had been his downfall.

He balked when Jude talked him into the diamond heist, because in his gut he knew that she was letting her greed get them into something that was way over their heads. With three bodies as a result, all on account of her insanity, he took the fall and she was still on the run. Was he really as stupid as Uncle Mike said?

"I'll take my chances, Jude," he stated, knowing it was the right decision for him.

He understood too well that going straight would be difficult no matter how kind a spin they put on it. While Ned could stomach working in low-paying jobs for awhile, sensing that his work ethic and gift with engines would eventually get him where he wanted to go, he knew that Jude would never settle for a common job as a waitress or airline stewardess, because she said as much continually.

She ignorantly thought that felons weren't capable of more than crap jobs, when Ned knew otherwise. Hell, he'd thrown over a great job in Arizona and for what? To sit here and listen to a lazy whore bitch about how hard her life was?

Who'd done the time that saddled him with a seemingly dismal future? Not her, that was for sure. She'd gotten off scot free, so she had endless possibilities. Her issues were her shitty attitude towards honest work and her lack of willingness to wait while their hard work paid off for them.

As for where he'd go and what he'd offer others, there'd been the one job and he knew there'd be others because he'd make sure there were. He was good with his hands, patient in his craft, and loyal to his bosses; which always played well in the world. He also had a good heart and a sound mind, two things Jude never did have.

"Whose car is this?" Ned asked crossly when he realized that there was no way this was Jude's Mustang. It held a price tag that was well over her financial level. So, the only thought was that she had boosted it.

Jude tried to walk away because she knew damned well that even when found in a used car lot this ride cost way more than she could ever afford. She also knew that she couldn't fob him off with pat answers forever, because Ned knew where the diamonds were, and that wasn't with her.

Ned tried to keep his anger in check, because he didn't want to terrify their hostage overmuch. He tried, but her constant whining and wheedling grated on his nerves, so he started going ballistic on her. First, he was angry that she turned her back to him and second that she was driving her captive's freaking car!

"How stupid can one bitch be?" he hollered, once he'd gotten them out of hearing range. "Not that I really want to know, because I already do, but whose fucking car is that?"

Jude stubbornly remained mute, not fully comprehending how dangerous Ned was in this mood because she'd never seen him in it. He noted the slope to her shoulders and the determination in her eyes, but persisted because he needed and deserved answers, especially if the bitch expected him to put into this disaster.

"I ain't goin' in blind this time, Jude," he reiterated slowly and concisely, the temperature in his voice dropping a couple of degrees every time he spoke. "I asked you whose car this is and have a right to an answer, since you dragged my ass out here to help you with this nightmare."

Jude wanted desperately to spit in his face. It really was not his freakin' business. As his rage hit explosive levels, he started to shake her violently.

"Who's f'ng car is this!"

"It's hers! It's hers! OK. You happy?" she finally answered just to get him to release her.

Rubbing her arm, Jude was sure she'd have some painful bruises from how tightly he held her.

Ned walked away trying to restrain his fury. "Ned, I needed wheels," she said pleading her case.

"So, you just take hers? Don't ya ever think that the cops will be out looking for her _and_ her wheels? Jesus Christ!"

The woman would never change. Ned lowered his head and shook it from side to side. He knew she was as crazy as they came, but this took the cake.

"I liked the car. And really, like anyone even knows she's missing. Ned, you dick, this is the perfect scam. We ransom this little cutie pie and we're golden. No more heists. No more struggling. Just you, me, and a pot of gold."

He raised his hands to his temples trying to calm himself. She could see he was struggling with the hard reality he had to face. There was no way Jude would ever go straight. She was too cold and heartless to change now.

Surprised with his wrath and amazed by his truly firm decision, she watched him walk away to catch his breath, running his hand through his long ginger hair. His gait and body language read like a red light. He was obviously struggling to do what he knew was right, balancing that need with what he only thought he wanted when she was there distracting him, and what she eagerly pointed out would be impossible to reach.

"Where'd she come from, Jude? Where'd ya pick her up?" Ned pried.

"Some book signing thing in New York City. Ned, it was so easy! I ran up to her begging for her to sign a copy of her book I boosted off the shelf. Told her I had a dying aunt who loved to read her stuff. It's money in the bank, Ned!"

Ned took several calming breaths to clear his head of the rage-induced sense of panic, so he could think through this clearly. Jude noticed his efforts and thought they were pointless, so she spun him to face her, pointed to her right ring finger, and spat,

"Hey, Ned, check out this rock she was wearing," Jude said admiring the engagement ring she'd snatched off the lady's finger. "This has to be worth a small fortune just by itself. I'll bet Two Bits in the Bronx would fence this for us."

Ned walked over and grabbed it away from her, grumbling at her for being such a dim one. He whistled under his breath after he used his loupe on it, because the thing was exquisite and surrounding by an equally stunning band of emeralds and sapphires that easily put the piece into the six-figure range at retail.

"It's at least five carats," he replied while examining it closely and thinking of the small fortune it would provide them. Yet, he knew Jude was so out for herself it was making him physically ill. "Jude, give it back."

"Why are you so freaking sentimental all of a sudden?" Jude barked, furious with him for taking her prize back to the lady that owned it.

"Because it's wrong to keep it. It's probably etched and easily identified, Jude. I'm sure every pawn shop from here to California is on alert if ya try to hock this. Stupid f'ng bitch! Uncle Mike said it best. You're a major liability to an operation, because you never f'ng think things through. Forget it. Do this job yourself. I'm outta here."

"I can't believe yer actually considering going straight. What are you planning to do with yourself? You're a felon. You are a murderer. And yer serious about livin' on the straight and narrow?"

"What's your plan, Ned? Go back to school? Get that GED and maybe get a job in a six by six cubicle some place? Or go live on some f'ng dirty farm in some f'ng stupid little town or out in the woods like Paul f'ng Bunion?"

"If doing that allows me to live a straight life, I'm game, Jude," he returned fire, knowing it was the right decision for him.

With this latest debacle on their hands, he realized in his soul that he'd never have a life with her because she was too damned determined to continue on her path to Hell, and she sure as all heck didn't want to share in his dreams, because they involved hard work to make them come true.

"I know it'll be difficult at first, but I don't want to be a lifer criminal. I was stupid the last time I listened to you; I'd be a true dumbass if I played along with you now." Though it was hard to admit and even harder to say, Ned faced his former sweetheart and said bluntly, "I was stupid to love you and even stupider to try to trust you."

He saw her wince as the darts went home, not because she cared but because she was losing out on his joining her to see this job through. He backed away because he felt like a complete and utter heel. He had fallen in love because his heart was just too big. He had convinced himself that their life as petty criminals was perfect because they were good together, good partners in crime and in the bedroom.

His three years with nothing to do but think had taught him differently and then sealed his newly learned wisdom in his heart. An honest fool can't live with a dishonest one, no matter how much he loves her, because her crookedness will always cause problems for them as a pair. Yep, he was much better off alone or at least alone until he met someone who shared his way of thinking.

"Yer so stupid, Ned," she insulted him, succeeding only in further distancing him from her. "If we played it right, this one job would set us both for life. Just one last time?" she said as she slinked up to him again.

As her hand slid over his chest and down south, his change of heart was coming quickly. He tried really hard to consider his choices, but yeah, one more job would gain him the finances to let him split town and head to Canada. She continued her tirade in a vain effort to keep him focused on doing things her way, he raised his glaring eyes at hers and she saw that he was struggling with his options.

Ned roughly pushed Jude against the Mustang and jabbed his index finger into her heaving chest. His pursed lips and knitted brows were enough information to get the message across without him uttering a word. Ned wasn't going there, not ever again and let alone with her. He walked several paces away again running his hand through his hair trying to stave off the desire to just shoot the bitch and be gone.

"Aww, Ned, your ass still hurt from your time with the big leaguers? How about a little play time with me? You know you want me."

He instantly ran back and grasped her neck with both hands.

"I'd do this now and dump your f'ng body in the river without a thought if I wanted to live the rest of my life in a cage. Unlike your dense mind, mine took in the fresh air and sunshine I got for one lousy hour a day while I was inside. Unlike your frozen heart, mine actually grew and I'm proud of that."

"Unlike you, I'm not proud of what I did to go inside and will not repeat my mistake with you, am I clear about that," he spat as he flung the bitch to the dirt, where he believed she belonged.

"What about the lady in the trunk, Ned? What'll we do about her? If you ain't gonna help me ransom her, then she has to die. I won't let her live and go squeal on us."

By 'us' Ned knew damned well Jude meant herself, but her harsh words reminded him of the innocent, terrified woman in the trunk. Her wild eyes and rapid breathing bothered him, because they meant she was close to losing it. Being a secret gentleman, he had never liked seeing any woman look so terrified, especially when she didn't deserve it.

He was cool with pulling petty thefts because for the most part nobody got hurt. The jewel heist bugged him big time because way too many people got hurt and three had actually died.

He stalked towards his car and made to go, saying curtly,

"If you let her go home now, I doubt she'd squeal."

Ned and Jude watched the brunette-haired lady rapidly nod her head in agreement with him. Jude's eyes grew colder than usual because she sensed that her former beau could fall for the beauty in the trunk if he chose. He had warmth and compassion, traits she lacked. Her hostage had them too, proving that by signing the book that got her into this mess. Those traits would see him into hell soon enough, with Ms. Priss along for the ride if she had anything to say about it.

"See? She has no problem with you. Let her go, now," Ned ordered coldly.

He watched Jude square her shoulders and lengthen her torso as she stated,

"No way she's getting' out of this before I'm rich. She's my ace in the hole, Ned. If you don't go along with this, I'll make your life a living hell; much worse than you thought you had it while in jail."

With his back to the wall, Ned knew he had no choice but to play along with the crazy woman until an opening presented itself. He'd have to figure out a way to undermine Jude's impact on his libido if he had any intentions of getting away unscathed. So, he needed to quickly change his tune and make her think he saw her logic since she was leaving him with little choice.

He restrained his anger with great difficulty, but he did it, saying curtly, "I did my f'ng time and I'm not f'ng going back there. If we do this, we do it my way."

"Whatever you say, big boy. Yer the planner," Jude snickered, thinking she was roping her favorite sap into her plans, when he was actually plotting her downfall.

He watched the woman in the truck shaking with terror. Ned knew she came from money just by the look of her. Where she really came from was anybody's guess as Jude hadn't relinquished the information yet, but he saw she'd picked a winner and heaved a heavy sigh because her kind of money always meant major trouble.

Unlike Jude, Ned understood that money meant power, power meant high-placed friends, and having those always brought serious heartache to anyone that sought to hurt you.

He knew that Jude would never take someone who was a low life, but wished she had this time, because it would've made things much simpler. Ned knew all too well that rich folks didn't take kindly to his kind of folks, and things were now complicated if a rich fiancé from high society was involved. Those kinds of men would easily squash guys like Ned. Jude sensed his dilemma and waited patiently, because she thought a major change of tune was coming.

She thought she had it when he turned to her and spat,

"If she's even half the bitch you are right now, maybe you're right," he pretended to go along with her to get her off his back so he could think things through properly.

He kicked the trunk of the car with his boot making the lady inside cower with intense fear. Ned knew that he had to be convincing so Jude would back off long enough for him to formulate a workable escape plan. "She's all sweetness and light now, but yer right, she'll squeal to heaven as soon as we're gone."

Ned's eyes met the captive's and she stopped squirming because she now feared deeply for her life. There was a cold, hard-hearted look in his eyes. He let her see that and think he was as much a creep as his partner was, but he knew very differently.

"We'll need time to come up with a plan," he stated before walking away, running his hand through his long red hair in a clear sign of his deep agitation. "Shit," he whispered to himself as he sat down on a rock and stared at the ground.

She walked over to him sliding up close. "Just like old times, hey, baby?"

"Why, Jude? Christ, I was just getting back on track and you had to do this," he spat, eyeing her with a heat that had her scared for the first time since they hooked up.

"What's the matter, little pansy have an issue with gettin' tough," Jude pressed, worrying Ned with her insistence. "This is what we're good at, Ned. Let's keep that in mind." Her hand slipped inside his shirt feeling him tense with her touch.

"Aw, Ned, this is so unlike you. Let's have a little fun while we can."

"Fuck off, Jude. As I said, we do this, we do it my way."

The blonde smiled because she thought she had him again, hook, line and sinker. Ned waited for her to go inside, walked to the trunk, and wondered how to broach this to his lady hostage without spooking her, gentled his expression, and said,

"I apologize for this, more than you ever know I wish it never happened."

The lady in the trunk nodded mutely, still suffering the burning in her throat from dehydration and the fumes in the gag. Ned noticed her discomfort, removed the gag, and placed a gentle forefinger over her lips to ensure she remained quiet. He almost danced when she complied so readily, sensing that he had an intelligent and clever woman who was well aware of the circumstances and in time would learn he wasn't the one to be afraid of.


	4. Chapter 4

_**4. The Making of a Nightmare**_

Jude drove for what seemed like eons, reaching a tiny road that meant seriously scratched paint from the brambles on either side of the car. Ned followed in his metallic blue Skylark taking in the trip with interest, liking what he saw a lot because it looked so much like the dreams he had. He kept this information to himself, sensing that the driver in the front car was in no mood for his fancies.

They went for another three or four miles, reached a wider spot for turning around, and Jude expertly spun the Mustang on its wheels so it faced outward in case the cops found them before they had a chance to act on their plans. He followed suit parking the Skylark right next to her car on the grass. He stepped out facing a rambling farmhouse with a couple of small rooms and a kitchen, not much by Jude's standards, but Ned's idea of heaven. Sure it was small now, but with a bit of work and some time, he could get it into shape.

"Hey Ned, you coming in or not," Jude whined from the confines of the shack, waking him from his fantasies to the harsh reality of appeasing a woman that couldn't be appeased. "I need to lock up for the night."

"Lock up? What's to steal out here?" he snickered, sounding for all the world like the man he'd been before his stint in prison.

"I see your point, boss," Jude grinned as she lit a cigarette and went inside. He sat himself on the stair soaking in the fresh air because he wasn't ready to go inside. She should have taken this as his warning he wasn't in the mood, but as usual she ignored it as irrelevant to her plans.

"I want to be left alone for a bit. That ok with you?" he answered gruffly. "Besides, I need to be sure our captive's tied up nice and tight so she doesn't get away while we're sleeping."

"Guess it won't kill me to have a smoke here with you," she rasped.

"I quit. Found the joy of smellin' the fresh air instead of that crap," he mused about his success in giving up a two-pack a day habit.

"Mr. Goodie Two Shoes," she teased while sliding an arm around his taut waist and loving the scent of him. "You plannin' any fun? Or we just sleepin'?"

Planning escapades always upped her hormones to roaring and this time was no different from the rest. Something in his demeanor bugged her immensely but she couldn't put her finger on the reason. It wasn't obvious, but subtle, which she was never good at. His mind wasn't on her, as it had been previously, but on a future without her and that worried her something fierce.

"I hate the dump, but it works," she sniped about the little cabin deep in the woods watching Ned walk over to their captive to check her restraints.

Ned saw paradise where she saw hell. Yeah, the place needed some work and time, but it showed real promise as a home. There was a five-acre plot attached that he saw was previously tilled, so he knew he'd be able to make a go of it.

"Damn, why won't she leave it lay with me? Can't she see she doesn't do it for me that way anymore," he thought as Jude tried to get him going again.

He snickered when she slid up against him like a cat in heat and laid a wet kiss on his mouth sickening the lady in the trunk. Ned slammed it closed as lust filled the air. Oh, how he wanted to bang her right here and now. Neither party thought twice about making a public spectacle of themselves, and being in the backwoods, it was a party waiting to happen with no worry of anyone witnessing.

But Ned knew how Jude's mind worked and that she used his baser needs against him at every turn, so he didn't buy the act this time. He forced himself to be dispassionate as he pushed her away and forced himself to focus on unpacking their sparse belongings convincing her that he wanted nothing to do with her – for now. He kept the Skylark's doors unlocked so it would be at the ready as his trusty wheels if things turned ugly.

It had been a three hour drive to Penobscot from the rest stop just over the New Hampshire state line off I-95 and both of them were tuckered out from the trip. While Jude prowled the inside of the cabin like a caged lemur, Ned worried about their hostage and how she'd survive the night if the temps dipped to freezing as the weathermen predicted. It would go bad enough for him because they had her; it'd go far worse for if she froze to death because Jude was as stupid as she was greedy and refused the woman the necessity of a warm blanket.

Inside the shack Jude now reluctantly called home, things got even tenser because she realized that this was Ned's latest idea of paradise. Being set back in the woods, it hid them well, which was why she chose it. She noted that Ned sat on the bed deeply in thought, but didn't care what he thought about, as long as it served her purpose.

He, contrarily, thought very seriously about where he was. He loved the woods because he loved the sense of freedom and connection to something more than concrete and glass. He loved the place because he had enough of bars and confinement to last him several life times. Being here offered him a sense of freedom he'd craved for a long time.

The wind picked up and began moaning through the eaves, which set his thoughts on the rich bitch lying helpless in the trunk of her own Mustang. Ned was well aware of the climate and knew there was no way she'd survive a chilly late October night in Maine. It took little effort to convince Jude he was right bringing her inside, especially when he reminded her that Maine looked very dimly on any kidnappings, particularly those that ended with the death of the hostage.

When she tried to keep their captive contained there, he brutally reminded her that their charge would be worthless to them if she died from hypothermia during the night. The redhead put on a show for Jude wielding a gun in the woman's face as he roughly dragged her inside demanding she shut up and listen to everything they ordered her to do. When the lady struggled against his hold, he tossed her to the bed and hopped on top of her sprawling her out under him.

With the butt of the gun raised and threatening to strike, Jude smiled. This was the Ned she liked; the one that reassured her that he was a rough hombre with a cold heart. He gave his best performance yet and completed his threat ordering Jude to toss him some rope and duct tape. Now, if only he'd turn his attention in her direction, she'd be a happy woman.

He tied the woman down loosely to the four-poster bed then took himself to the old wooden rocking chair in the corner where he could contemplate their next move. Jude was happy to think Ned was on board with this mission and that heightened her hormone levels making them skyrocket through the roof. The extreme concentration on his face made him even sexier, because he appeared much smarter than he was.

His brows were bent in an angry fashion and his lips had just enough pout to them to make them kissable, while his taut chest rose and fell steadily as though he were sleeping. But, it was his open legs that caught her attention.

He was reclined deeply in the chair and her eyes became quickly trained on the tightness of his jeans. What she wouldn't do to ride her red stallion right now, she sighed in longing at the thought of it; but, there were plans to devise and she needed him to stay focused on that. He was good at coming up with the initial plans and she thought she was good at tweaking them to success, especially if the success was geared solely towards her benefit.

She was not about to lose out on a huge payoff and knew Ned was expendable this time. She had a special copper-jacketed bullet with his name on it when this was all over. If her demands were met, she'd never have to work another day in her life and she could permanently relocate to some desert oasis in Las Vegas or some other den of iniquity. This she planned to do very much alone, because she had no use for men aside from an occasional romp to satisfy her animal needs.

The back woods allowed for unobstructed seclusion, but in time, even this place would not be safe and she honestly didn't care if she had to spend the rest of her life living mobile. For the time being, Jude thanked her dead uncle for this small gift, as she'd been able to hide out here after the previous heist went haywire. Ned took the fall for it, but Jude escaped to this little place she refused to call home.

"So, when do we make the call?" Jude asked.

"Do you have even the slightest idea who we should call?" Ned snapped, livid with Jude for putting this on him. When he saw the blank look cross over her face, he shook his head in displeasure. "Stupid bitch." Here, he knocked on her head asking "Is anyone home?"

"Cut the shit, Ned," she argued. "I'll get the information soon enough."

"But, you don't have a name? We do nothing until we know exactly who we're dealing with," Ned ordered.

"Shit this woman's trouble," he thought of Jude.

Here, he glanced over to their hostage lying passively on the bed, trying her best to ignore their coarse language and the incredible danger she faced.

"Come to bed, Ned," Jude demanded, thinking him still a patsy to her wiles. "The bitch is tied up tight, is she not?"

"Of course she is. As for your kind invite to join you, I'm not interested. I want my cut after this is over and to hell with you."

"Any more on the plan?" Jude asked curiously knowing his brain was already full of wonderful ideas.

"Once you get some info, we call it in from a pay phone and split from there to keep an eye out for the drop. Come to think of it, there was one at that rest stop we met at; no one will be able to track us from there. Then, we force the fiancé to meet at a designated drop off where we exchange the cash for the woman."

"That's too easy, Ned. You know damn well that anything can go wrong. We have to think this through a little better," Jude balked.

"You've got a better idea? I didn't think so, and since I've never done a ransom, Jude, I suggest you give me a fucking break."

"Listen to me, you and I haven't been together in awhile. Maybe a little diversion will get your mind into the game. Let me show you what you missed out on," Jude wheedled while she eased the buttons from their holes and her naked breasts finally escaped her white blouse. "I owe you that much."

She stood in front of him and dropped her blouse much to the disgust of the lady tied to the bed. Their captive tried not to gag at the sight of a scarecrow courting a stud wishing they had been so kind to blindfold her to spare her the sick view before her. She wondered why Ned hadn't trussed her tightly, thanking God for that small favor as she plotted her escape.

However, the lady smartly refused to struggle because it would only wear her out and draw unnecessary attention towards her. Besides, she needed every ounce of her energy to survive and outwit her captors. All this lady could think of was having to suffer through being tied up and gagged and laying spread eagle on a bed held hostage while these two flakes screwed each other senseless right in front of her.

Ned looked up into Jude's longing eyes. He knew the ploy well and hated her even more when she pretended to love him, because today he knew she didn't mean it. He was toast if she started doing her lap dance on him. It was bad enough he could already feel his body responding in that way. Life sucked sometimes.

As Jude straddled his lap and started rubbing his crotch with her body pushing her bosom in his face, he tried to think of all the shit she put him through hoping to douse the fire. He'd almost been a play thing to several really big guys in jail and he'd love nothing better than to screw a pretty woman right now. He heard Uncle Mike's words ringing in his mind – words of wisdom from such an old recluse of a man.

Uncle Mike scolded Ned on his need to let Jude run the show when Ned was obviously the smartest of the pair. Instead he opted to listen to his baser needs instead of his mind. "You just follow along draggin' yer tongue in the mud," Uncle Mike said. Oh, how those words stung because at the time, they were the hard truth he refused to accept. Had he been thinking with the right head, he'd have been more successful as a robber and less likely to have gotten caught let alone let this bitch destroy all his hard-worked plans. Yet, this blonde bitch had her strong points, and right now she was using one of them against him. Ned Tash loved great sex because with her, he thought he was in love, and Jude knew that and used it.

Much to her surprise, especially with the hot horny look in his eyes, he pushed Jude off without a second thought.

"Puleez put those away," Ned spat. "That might've worked once, but it won't anymore. I'm not in the mood."

"Since when? You always got off whenever I did this to you," she said as she put her blouse back on. "Man, a few years in jail really fucked you up, didn't it?"

"Jude, go to hell. I just want my cut of this deal and I'll be gone for good." Ned got up and moved to the small window. Looking outside, he thought icy thoughts to complete his mental cold shower.

He imagined Jude spread eagled, doused in honey, and tied to stakes while the red ants ate their fill, watched the vultures pluck out her eyes and internal organs, and almost grinned at the sight of her bleached bones baking in the desert sun. She wanted Las Vegas, did she? Well, he'd be sure she got it, just not as she wanted to get it.

"Fine, Ned. Fine. That's the way you want to play it, so be it." The woman stomped out of the room into the spare room next door.

Jude was pissed but he didn't care. His crotch cared, but he could deal with that later. She might not have him in bed, but he knew she had his balls in her left pocket and for her that would have to be enough for now. He wasn't the only man in town if things got that bad.

Once he knew that Jude had gone to sleep, Ned walked over to the bed and sat down by the captive's side. He slid his fingers through his hair before turning to face her, trying to come up with reassurances so she wouldn't panic. Reaching for the side of her face, Ned gently caressed her swollen cheek and offered her a little human kindness even though she was trying to move away from him. The poor lady looked like a scared rabbit all wide-eyed and paranoid and rightfully so. She had no idea if she was going to live or die by this killer's hand.

"I'm not going to hurt you, and I won't let her hurt you either, but we have to work together here. I need you to play along with this so we get out in one piece. I'm sure you heard her story about my time behind bars; it was impossible to miss in such a tight space."

"By now you know that Jude's f'ng nuts and I really don't know what I was thinking hooking up with her all those years ago. The diamond heist was the only big job I ever did and she f'ng let me take the fall for it. I'm not doing it again. She thinks I'm that stupid. I'll show her."

The lady lay there listening to him but unsure if she should believe a word he said. In her eyes, he was a low life criminal and obviously could care less about living a straight life and most likely saying things she'd want to hear. He made it known he was out for himself at this point. Who was to say he wouldn't kill Jude when the time presented itself and then kill her after he collected the ransom for himself?

She was pleasantly surprised when Ned reached for the gag, whispering,

"I'll take this off if you promise not to scream." The woman nodded her head affirmatively and anxiously.

Ned pulled the gag from her mouth allowing her to breathe a little easier. He loosened her trusses a little more and that allowed her to slip through before bolting for the door. This alarmed Ned terribly. He didn't care so much that the lady wanted to escape but worried for the noise she was causing seeking her freedom.

If Jude woke up, it was all over, for both of them. He quickly went to work trying to corner the lady praying she didn't kick him in the balls or it really was all over. Once he had her in the corner, he laid his palms flat against the wall on either side of her head. His body pressed threateningly against hers to hold her backed into the corner. She was a dangerous trapped animal right now and anything could happen, but considering what he'd been through, he thought little of her as any real threat.

He growled softly, almost as if he was aroused by the chase, and then he laid his right hand over her mouth seeing a rising desire to scream. Ned well understood her fear and he was sure she probably was thinking the worse of him right now. Heck, had he been the cold-hearted criminal she most likely believed him to be, he was sure she was thinking he was gearing up to have his way with her considering his man-handling of her.

Ned didn't have the best social skills and right now could only think of maintaining control over this woman no matter what. He let his other hand slide up to her stomach watching her eyes widen with terror before laying it flat and pushing her hard and as far as possible into the corner. He closed his eyes, lowered his head and shook it from side to side trying to stem his anger and maintain his patience.

"Stupid bitch, ya want to get us both killed?"

Seeing the effect his threatening voice had upon her nerves, he sympathized with the lady and realized he'd get more from her if he took a gentler approach, although what that was somewhat alluded him. Ned leaned into the lady, turned his head to her cheek, took a long torturous moment to smell the sweetness of her skin that mixed with deep fear and again growled softly as he reveled in her scent. She smelled so different from Jude.

This lady tickled his senses with a light floral scent that instantly reminded him of a wild flower meadow he yearned to call home. "Rich people," he mused thinking she probably spent an hour luxuriating in a perfumed bath before heading out for her signing party. Letting his nose round her cheek trailing a line to her ear lobe, he spoke softly and firmly.

"You try to nail my nuts and I'll make you regret it," he started while laying his hand on her rising knee. Backing off just a bit to make eye contact, he added "Look, I don't wanna hurt ya. But, if you and I are gonna get away without holes in our f'ng heads, then you best listen to every f'ng thing I say. That crazy bitch won't think twice of filling us both with lead. Got it?"

Ned turned a watchful eye on the bedroom door, because he knew that Jude was a light sleeper, especially when she hadn't been sexed in awhile, so he needed to know if trouble was coming from her quarter. Considering the activity in his room, he was pleasantly surprised she didn't rear her curious head. Convincing the lady to sit down and be quiet, he offered her a tin cup of water and she bolted down the meager peanut butter sandwich as though it were her last meal, informing Ned that she realized how hazardous their partnership was for them.

Ned sensed she was still itching to bolt and understood why, but again strongly discouraged the notion. Heck, he wished he could just take off too. He suddenly remembered his Skylark and realized that they could disappear now and be halfway to Nevada before Jude knew they were gone. He also knew Jude would stop at nothing to recover her stolen prize, including killing both of them just for spite, so he had to tread very carefully.

"Do you know why she took me?" Danielle asked softly as she jabbed her middle finger towards the bedroom door.

"To get rich. Who the hell are you anyway?" he asked as he removed her restraints.

"Danielle Depardieu'" she replied nervously.

"The famous writer? Holy Mother Fuckin' shit," he gasped in despair, realizing that they had a world-acclaimed author of great crime stories in their custody.

He knew that because he had devoured her latest works in prison, at first because he needed the distraction and later because they were excellent. They were tight, fast-paced, and highly stimulating stories. They also overflowed with great lessons in how to avoid the cops, one of which was not kidnapping anyone like the shaking woman before him.

Jude had bitten the big one this time and he knew he had to get the girl and himself out of here pronto or die trying. Danielle noticed Ned's rising panic and reached out a calming hand, saying softly,

"I know you're the brains of this outfit, did the first time I saw you. What I don't get is you actually having a heart. Your friend there is as cold as they come. Talk about opposites attracting."

"Yeah, I know," Ned smiled, liking her style very much.

Miss Depardieu was all soft and compassionate, whereas his ex was the opposite. She was smart and funny even though it might have been an extreme case of nerves, but still, she was different in that way because Jude was not. Her mind was on a lot more than money and what it bought, but only during their escape would he learn why.

"Jesus Christ, this bitch picks 'em good," he thought, now totally paranoid about his future once she was safely where she belonged.

Miss Depardieu had seen several of her crime novellas make it to the big screen and was a renowned photographer who had done several covers for mags like Time Magazine and GQ; and those were just her print credits. He knew her work from the few movies he managed to slide into when they showed in the prison theater.

"Ned Tash, Danielle. Nice to meet you," he said after offering his hand in a respectful greeting to her.

Dani's smile finally reached her eyes, warming them from blackened with fear to a delicious chocolate brown getting Ned going far faster than Jude ever had. He immediately quashed that side of himself so he wouldn't lose his train of thought while they planned their escape. Uninhibited sex had cost him his freedom once before and now threatened his and Danielle's lives, so he had to save that for after they found a safe place to hide.

"I have to admit, this is rather unusual," she said as she shook his hand, her formal language going a long way to winning his heart. "Normally I write about this stuff, but now it's happening to lil old me. It's quite a nasty awakening."

Immediately, she sensed he didn't want to be there let alone be considered one of her captors. She was so terrified that he tried to calm her by continuing to hold her hand. This simple connection betrayed an underlying self-loathing he did his best to keep at bay. Taking several long moments to let their fingers entwine as his eyes became fixated on them, she didn't understand his preoccupation with this gentle contact that held his full attention. In time, she would understand.

"I hope you don't mind that I store this for a future book," she tried to make a joke of it, which impressed him with her level-headedness drawing a soft laugh from him.

It was a far cry from Jude's instability and very becoming for the man who had suffered countless losses of pride at her hands. He didn't realize how quickly he was falling fast for this lissome female but smartly backed off a bit. She noted his distraction and wondered curiously at it, because even her fiancé showed little interest in her as a woman. Ned was an entirely different creature, trying very hard to remain a gentleman even though the animal in him would have wanted to strip her clothes from her frame and pleasure her until they were both exhausted. It was all he felt he had to offer anyone and the only real gift he felt he had to give.

"If you see fit. But if you don't mind, don't use my name," he replied with an answering boyish smile.

"Why take up a life of crime, Mr. Tash? I don't get it," she asked, curious as a cat hunting a mouse. Ned sensed that her puzzlement was genuine, so he let her ask her questions. "You don't seem the type."

He panicked at his transparency because Danielle was the second person to take note of this. Numerous times, young Bec said that of him and he refused to agree. He was better than a criminal but he loved the thrill of a good robbery ending in success.

He was good at working out the plan, thinking about alternatives when the main plan fell apart, and sadly he did so because he loved doing it with Jude many times slinking into the sidelines letting her take charge with her craziness. She was smart and dangerous and as Uncle Mike said, a good lay. It was Ned's mixing business with pleasure that led to his downfall and he paid for it in the end.

"Look, I may not be the brightest light bulb in the box, but I tried my best to make a living like everyone else. I couldn't make it work. I later found out how good I was at snatchin' stuff."

"First, I partnered up with Bryce, but she couldn't hold a gun to anything and she fucked me over. Then Jude came along and I thought she was the perfect woman – smart, a great shot, and a great lay. Bryce almost killed her when I walked out."

"Jude… Jude's crazy, but she's good. We did well for ourselves moving around from place to place. She had all the right fencing connections for the stuff we boosted. We had mad, crazy sex for months, traveled from place to place, and then the grand scheme of them all. We would have been set for life. Until she had to go and blow it."

He almost seemed proud talking about her – at least at first. Being a woman of better breeding and raised to hold to a much higher standard of conduct, Dani couldn't quite understand how someone could live such a life and be proud of it. Then, she astutely tuned into the subtle change in his voice. He regretted that part of his life. She hoped he was speaking from his heart, but not knowing him or his real motives made her not trust him.

"How?" she asked.

"Shot three people just because she could and there was no need for it," Ned said sadly as his eyes clouded with pain and grief. "I stuck with her because she made it seem as if it would be just her and me and our pot of gold in the end. I wanted to leave for greener pastures, but she had other plans when things got dicey."

"She betrayed you?"

"Yeah, she did," he growled, as his sapphire eyes darkened to midnight with restrained anger. "Dumped me out of the car and left me there eatin' asphalt to be picked up by the f'ng cops while she took off with the goods." His voice was full of restrained rage as his face began to redden.

Dani shied away with the language he used. He cussed like a sailor as many young people did, so it became a bad habit. Now, with this woman, he observed her reaction and felt himself feeling out of his depth somehow, because he noticed she had an aversion to cursing. He scratched his head in confusion unaccustomed to women's kindness when he messed up.

Much to his surprise, Danielle laid her hand on his shoulder in kindness instantly calming the beast inside. He couldn't remember the last time a woman was nice to him; not one free of ulterior motives anyway and certainly not one who was rich and well above his social status. Her motive was to assure her very survival, which he well understood, but he felt something new there too; the faintest hints of that most tantalizing emotion of genuine unconditional caring.

Sure, Bec had been kind to him, but this was a whole different type of kind. He thought she was playing him, which she wasn't, so his rage returned. Sensing that Danielle didn't deserve this emotion, he lowered his head and stared at the floor so he wouldn't scare his captive with the rage in his expression. He did that because he knew she didn't deserve to see it.

"I fucked up really bad and I admit that," he confessed while rising to his feet.

Balling his fist, he needed to release some of the rage and let it fly on the nearest wall. He didn't give a rat's ass if he woke Jude from her beauty sleep. If it weren't for her, he'd be some place nice without a felony rap sheet.

"There's still time to take up a straight life, Mr. Tash. It's not over. You made a mistake and you served your time for it. She's bulldogging you and you can easily make a choice to…"

"Bitch!" he hollered when he heard Jude stirring in the next room. "I give you a bit of a breather and something to eat and you do this to me? What makes you any better than the dragon in the other room?"

"I'm sorry but I don't understand."

He walked to the window, ran his hand through his hair before returning his eyes to her. His eyes bore holes in Dani as his index finger rose in her direction causing her to cower at his fury.

"You fucking women think you got all the answers," he stated. "I'm sick and tired of being treated like I only think with my dick."

"Um, maybe you do," Dani said in defiance, beginning to like the danger that surrounded her a little too much. She shrank back a bit realizing she just said something out of character, but she couldn't help herself. Then, she met his eyes demanding his undivided attention as her brows arched in rising anger. She'd have done anything to slap him into reality because she needed to survive and she failed to realize she was finding him rather attractive.

Hers had been a very tame, boring life until this man's accomplice grabbed her in Manhattan. Now it sizzled with friction and excitement, but she knew it was much more to her than that. For the first time she felt the fiery passion every woman feels for a man. He represented everything opposite the types of men she aligned herself with. Ned was dangerous and unpredictable, smart and yet needing some socializing.

Unsure if it stemmed from the delayed onset of Stockholm Syndrome, or if she genuinely felt it, Danielle again dropped her eyes and returned to the relative safety of the bed. This killer was gorgeous and virile, a combination that Danielle finally understood better than she thought she liked. Though temporarily chastened by her conflicting feelings, she couldn't resist one last insightful stab at her captor's heart, saying bluntly,

"You admit it in one breath but then you deny it with the next. Perhaps the issue is that you can't handle the truth about your own wants and desires."

He spun around and slapped his forehead four times with the palm of his hand denoting his aggravation in the fact that yet another person thought him nothing but a horny guy who couldn't think beyond his crotch. Her words, although firm and to the point, stung just as hard as being directly called stupid, and Ned Tash hated it when anyone called him stupid or even implied it.

Dani realized with those slaps that he had major trust issues when it came to the women in his life. Remembering Jude's harshness with him, Dani accepted that distrust even while she knew the man was attracted to the blonde in the other room. Her recent brief observations of the way his body responded to her despite his tirade of insults and anger betrayed his inner workings.

"What are ya, a f'ng therapist?" he asked angrily.

"I'm just calling it as I see it," Dani answered. "I don't mean to insult you, sir, but really now, I get the feeling you're so in love and over your head and unsure how exactly to deal with that."

"Shut up."

"Look, I'd like to think I'm sort of an expert in reading a person's character. Remember, I write novels for a livelihood. I take that seriously and do a lot of research to make my characters believable. That means diving deep into a person's thought processes."

"You think you got me figured out?" he asked in a threatening manner. "You don't know shit. Just b'cause you got money doesn't mean you got it all figured out."

"Never said I did. I'm just calling it as I see it."

He walked away and laid his gun on the small light stand across the room before turning back to her.

"Why keep going back to her if you know she's no good for you?" Dani pried.

He leaped onto the bed startling Dani with the wild anger in his eyes. "You don't know what it's like. And if you don't shut up, you'll get us both killed."

"Fine. Then shoot me now. If you are such a big shot killer, then finish it now. Or don't you have the chops for it?" Again, she surprised herself with her words because any other time she'd have kept her yap shut.

"Are you kidding me?" Ned couldn't help but laugh. He laid her back and climbed over her pointing the barrel of his gun at her head. "If you know what's good for you, you won't piss me off."

She shrank in fear and immediately he backed off. He worried that maybe he'd cross that line if push came to shove and all his thoughts of coming out of the joint rehabilitated was for nothing. He pulled himself off her and sat by her side.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Planning Their Escape**_

Danielle realized she was not getting out of here without laying some trust in this man. She had to align herself with a known criminal and hope he would do the right thing. If not, she'd make headlines as another famous victim. Through her probing, Dani's instincts were leading her to believe he meant what he said in wanting to see her safely returned. Only time would tell if he would actually follow through on that.

"If you want my fiancé to show up, don't make the ransom too high. He loves his money a great deal," Dani said on a sigh, which told Ned that she felt he loved it more than he loved her. This brought out a concern that maybe Jude's plan would now fail miserably if things were on the rocks between the author and her would-be husband.

"I'd rather you called my aunt because she won't ask too many questions. She loves me more and will pay up," Dani added.

Quirking an eyebrow, he looked at Dani curiously, and asked gently, "If you don't love the guy, then why marry him?"

It took her a long moment to gather the courage to actually make a response, even one as lame as,

"You couldn't possibly understand."

Then, hearing Jude stirring again from behind the door, he pushed Dani back onto the bed frightening her intensely. He had to play it as rough as possible to coax Jude he was on board. His eyes were full of fury and fear like a cornered wild animal. Laying over her, he whispered,

"Stupid bitch, you really think I'd fall for that one?" he snarled.

Dani was not faking her fear as her eyes widened and her breathing increased as panic gripped her heart. She wondered if this guy was perhaps as nuts as the tall blonde. Ned recognized the little giggle from behind the door coming from his former lover. She was obviously listening in to the goings-on and happy to hear him roughing up the prisoner. Hope persisted that he'd get riled up enough to come find her for a little fun and games after he got it up with this show of violence.

When things settled down and Jude returned to bed, he leaned down over Dani to whisper in her ear.

"Um, we gotta play this my way or she will kill us both. I can promise you that."

"Anything you say," Danielle said softly trying to stem the panic. "I've never been here before, so I'll trust your judgment."

He replaced the restraints and gag, adding softly,

"She can't know anything. Play it up. You women know how to fake it. Trust me, I won't want to, but if you leave me no choice, I'll hit you to make it look good. I won't want to and I'll try not to hurt you too much, so don't force my hand. No matter what, we have to make it look good, so she buys it."

Danielle resented the reference to faking it as she knew it to be true. Even though she was raised better than that, Dani lived her life faking a great deal of it. She also realized that Jude was a woman very accustomed to faking many things based on the little Ned revealed and she would spot her playing it up if she didn't act truly terrified. Recalling her brief turn on the stage in college, she drew from deeply within herself and turned her terrified gaze on the man she knew couldn't kill her, even if he wanted to.

What bothered her more than his "faking" comment was his threatening to hit her. A man who'd hit a woman no matter what the reason was not to be trusted. She began to wonder if he was as honest and genuine as she had hoped he'd be or if she was putting too much faith in him.

Danielle wasn't happy about it but there weren't any other options. She resolved herself to follow Ned's lead, because at least he was being straight with her, whereas the harridan in the next room hadn't told a truth yet. She had to lay her trust in someone. If he really was the cold hearted killer Dani originally thought he was, she'd already be dead. Dani offered Ned some information on how best to reach her fiancé, better yet to call her aunt, and he thanked her for her cooperation.

"We're outta here in the morning. We'll make the call to set the ransom in motion. But, I promise ya, I'll get ya home safe."

Dani watched him gather up a blanket and lay it gently over her. "It's gonna be cold," he stated softly. She was really surprised with this simple show of kindness and concern for her well-being and this made her reconsider who the cold-hearted killer really was and who was trying to do the right thing.

He turned off the light on the nightstand and slid up next to her in bed. With her tied up, he didn't worry about any dangerous moves on her behalf and he'd be damned to hell if he took himself to sleep in Jude's bed. Although, his sleeping with her would certainly make her play right into his hands in a very nice way. However, after careful consideration and seeing the fear that remained in the lady's eyes, he opted to spend the night with the gentler woman.

During the night, Dani didn't sleep a wink despite her efforts to try. She couldn't fully trust the man by her side even though he slept with his back to her. She couldn't help but continue to think he was trying to win her over just so he could have his way with her later on and ransom her for his own benefit. What if he wanted to get free from the crazy bitch just so he could wrestle some money from her family and kill her in the end? She couldn't be sure exactly what his motives were and she had to trust that in time the truth would be revealed.

A couple of times, she heard Jude open the door connecting the two bedrooms together. She'd peek through the opening and lay her eyes on the redhead sound asleep - his back to his charge but nonetheless in the same bed. Jude snorted her disgust at the sight as she returned to her room, where she'd sleep alone.

Her only solace was thinking the man was going to play a major part in her getting rich and if that meant his sleeping by their hostage, then so be it. She had to content herself with that and know he was sleeping soundly. He'd need all his faculties when morning arrived.

However, during the night, he got up and left. Both Jude and Dani heard him drive off wondering where he'd gone. He caught a couple hours shuteye but his mind was working in overdrive and that woke him up. Going for a drive helped him clear his mind and continue working out his escape plan.

Finding a place to pull off on the side of the main drag, he parked his Skylark and rolled down the window. The night air was crisp with a decided coolness that almost hinted to a threat of snow in the near future. He was happy he convinced Jude to bring in their hostage as she'd never have survived the night, and that would have been a horrible way to die.

He mused over Danielle's comments about calling her aunt. That struck him as odd and he really began to worry over setting up this ransom if the fiancé would not comply with Jude's demands. He also worried about the amount of money Jude would demand. She hadn't relinquished that information to Ned, so he couldn't help but think it would be some ridiculously high figure. If Dani's words were true, he'd have to work on negotiating with Jude so she didn't make the situation worse by asking too high a dollar amount.

There was just so much to consider and Ned ran his hand through his hair trying to calm himself. This is when a good romp would feel good at taking his mind off of the situation. However, Jude just wasn't doing it for him any longer. He'd tasted something new and he liked it – genuine warmth and caring.

He'd never known a warm compassionate woman before. Ned thought back to all his previous relationships and none of his women were ever of the type. He seemed to consistently find himself with women who only wanted him in bed. Bryce came close to being a reasonable partner, but their life of crime kept her focused on getting rich. However, she was a sloppy partner and never really had her heart in it. She couldn't shoot a gun to save her life and that was dangerous when they did go out on jobs together.

Now, when Jude came along, Ned was swept off his feet. Not only was she sexy and good with a gun, she was dangerously smart and calculating. The downfall to her extreme greed is that Ned got taken for a ride. He let his heart get the best of him and he fell head over for her. Or, at least he thought he had. She was bad news right from the start – everyone knew it. But to Ned, was it better to dump her and be alone or stay with her?

His worst nightmare came true when Jude betrayed him and even now he couldn't understand how a woman could be so cold and cruel. And then again, he totally understood. It's what attracted him to her in the first place. She didn't let anything stand in her way and neither did Ned. That's why they made a good team until she started thinking solely for herself. Then, things changed. The sex wasn't as enjoyable. The jobs got sloppy. And Ned's idea of starting a life with what they had amassed went down the tubes.

Now, she roped him into a serious situation and if he didn't play his cards right, he'd end up in jail for the rest of his life with a second strike against his name. He'd not only bear the title of felon, but of repeat felon.

Ned began thinking of ways to just kill Jude and dump her body some place remote. He could just do the deed at the shack, but eventually she'd be found because that's just the way things worked. Considering their history together, he knew the authorities would be after him first and foremost.

And even if he wanted to kill her, she was smart enough to snatch the clip out of his gun and he didn't think to bring a backup. In this way, she was dangerous because she always managed to think ahead with self-preservation in mind, and if the shoe was on the other foot, that's what he would do. One thing about Jude, she got so into his head, and his heart, that he became terribly predictable to her. She knew him way too well.

He knew she had her fully loaded 9 millimeter Smith and his clip safely tucked under her pillow. Considering that she was such a light sleeper, he'd never get in there without her taking at least one shot at him. It wasn't something he could risk because she was an even better shot than he was.

Ned sighed wishing he could just high tail it away now. He could escape and get on with his life as he had planned after he was released from prison. Angry with himself for following his heart back to this bitch, there was now an innocent soul in harm's way if he didn't act. He knew Jude best – and he'd be the best weapon to bring her down. Only he knew the way she thought and would be the best to determine what her moves would be.

"I gotta get us outta here safely," he told himself. And with that, he figured out his plans to at least escape Jude temporarily.

Tomorrow, they would call Dani's aunt and fiancé and set the ransom for Dani's return. He'd set it up where they'd call in two days with further information. That would buy him time to figure out how best to handle Jude and get Danielle Depardieu safely away.

He returned several hours later. Ned saw Jude open the door to her room when he stepped in. The scowl on her face was enough to tell him she didn't trust him at all but was happy he returned. That eased her mind a little bit.

"I needed some air," he said as he flopped onto the bed next to Danielle startling her.

Jude slid over next to him and tried to play nice again. He shoved her away before saying, "Go to bed. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."


End file.
